Improvement in fire-escapes



reason of the clamp UNITED STATES WILLIAM H, H. SISUM, OF BROOKLYN,

ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT R.

HOUGHTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCAPES.

"Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 191,480, dated May 29,1877; application filed May 15, 1877.

Too whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. H. SrsUM, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements Relating to Fire- Escapes, of which the following is aspecification:

I have devised safe and convenient frictional means, which I can easilyattach to the person, and allow the person to descend on an ordinaryrope, by a reliably moderate and easily controllable rate of speed. Thewhole can be carried in the pocket.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthisspecification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the clamp or frictiondevice complete. This shows also a part of the rope on which the persondescends by allowing the said rope to slip throught it. It also showssome of the interior work in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection on S Sin Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on T T in Fig. 1,and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on U U in Fig. 1.

I esteem braided cotton the best rope, but do not confine myself to anyparticular kind.

Referring to the drawings and to the letters of reference markedthereon, A is the rope, assumed to be strongly fixed to some convenientpoint above, and B B are the two halves of ashell, of brass or othersuitable material, strongly united by screws, rivets, or otherfastenings at b b. O is a wheel, of brass or other -proper material,having a groove around its periphery. It is hung on a pin, D, andprevented from turning by another pin, D. A sufiicient space is leftwith' in the shell to allow the rope A to lead up from below, and passaround the wheel 0, and out at the top, as indicated, meeting withconsiderable friction in its passage in either direction, but whichfriction will obviously be increased very greatly by any considerableadditional resistance applied at the right points.

M is a clamping-piece, pivoted at m, where is a stout knuckle joint. Nis a reliable thumb-screw, insertedthrough the part M, and tapped intothe shell B B The passage of the rope A is resisted according as thescrew N is turned to tighten the pinch of the part M upon it.

A rope (not represented) or any suitable strap or fastening may beengaged with the device by being passed through a hole, d. Such rope orstrap may form a seat for the person using the apparatus, or may besecured around the waist, or otherwise attached to the person, as may bepreferred.

In operation the person descending by use of my apparatus turns thescrew N in one direction to relax the grip, and allow himself to rundown faster, and in the opposite direction to tighten the grip, andcause himself to descend slower.

It will be observed that in the use of the apparatus the entire devicemoves downward on the rope A, and the friction made by the clamp M isapplied on the slack part of the rope. It therefore not only contributesits own friction, but greatly increases the friction of the rope aroundthe sheave or wheel 0. This gives so great a frictional resistance thatit will be easy to control the descent of the heaviest man. It will evenbe practicable, I believe, for a cool-headed and agile person to takeone or more children, or other frightened or weak persons, under hiscontrol, and attaching them by acord, or the like,

to himself, or to the shell B B to descend with them moderately andsafely.

A trusty man, remaining in the window above, may again pull up the ropeafter each use, and on slackening the screw N, can soon pass the ropeback again through the device, and make all ready again for anotherdescent. A moderate amount of skill or nerve is sufficient to attend tothe screw N during the descent.

I can use ropes of hemp, or any ordinary material. Wire rope ofiers somepeculiar advantages. The strong friction caused by my clamp can inducesufficient resistance on the most polished surfaces.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The clamp M and screw N, incombination with the stationary wheel or circular part 0, grooved asshown, and with a shell or frame having provisions d for receiving an Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set attachment to the person. alladapted for use my hand this 10th day of May, 1877, in the on a rope, A,as a fire-escape, as herein specipresence of two subscribing witnesses.

fied. WM. H. H. SlSUM.

2. The combination of the rope A, with the Witnesses: parts B B 0, D, D,d, M. m, and N, as and WILLIAM N. NEWMAN,

for the purposes specified. CHAS. O. STETSON.

